Engine-valve



(No Muriel.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. A. WHEELER.

ENGINE VALVE. No. 563,827. Patented July 14, 1896.

WITNESSES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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G. A. WHEELER.

ENGINE VALVE.

No. 563,827. Patented July 14, 1896.

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(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 5.

C. A. WHEELER.

ENGINE VALVE.

No. 563,827. Patented July 14, 1896.

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(No Model.) 8 Sheets8heet 6 G. A. WHEELER. ENGINE VALVE.

No. 563,827. Patented July 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CHARLES A. WHEELER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

ENGIN E-VALVE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,827, dated July 14;, 1896.

' Application filed July 11, 1395.

.T all whom it 721/651] concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident ol Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Engine- Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a piston-valve for controlling expansive bodies like steam, air, or gas in operating engines or motors of like character for the transmission of power; and it further relates to certain improvements connected with the motor or steam-engine with which the valve is closely allied, said valve being so constructed that it has both a longitudinal reciprocating and a rotary movement combined, thus dispensing with the use of eccentric and other power-absorbing parts of an engine, it being an improvement on the United States patent granted to me October 1, 1889, and numbered 412,217.

To enable others to fully understand my invention, re Eerence is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- 'lrigure 1 rcpresei'its a side elevation of the cylinder and base of the valve-piston detached from the steanvengine cylinder or other m0- tor, showing the valve-rod, which is attached to the piston-valve within the cylinder, projecting therefrom, thus indicating that the piston-valve is at the beginning of its stroke. Fig. is an upper plan view, looking in the direction of arrow (1 of Fig. 1, of the cylinder, with the heads thereof detached. Fig. 3 is a central section of the piston-valve cylinder shown in Fig. 1, also showing a broken section of an engine-cylinder to which such piston-valve cylinder is attached. Fig. 4: is a vertical central section of the piston-valve cylinder shown in Fig. 2, also a view of the piston'valve therein. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the piston-valve and broken view of its controlling-rod. Fig. 6 is an end ele-.

vation of the piston- 'alve cylinder, looking in the direction of arrow 7) of Fig. 1, with the c-yliudenhead removed and the piston rod broken so as to show the centrally-arranged cams of the valve by which, in conjunction with the cams of the cylindenheads, (not shown,) the piston-valve is rotated.

Fig. 7

gerial No. 555,636. (No model.)

is a detail central section of the piston-cylinder through line c of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow 7), and abroken section of the base of the cylinder through c of Fig. 6, also a section of the piston through dotted line f of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of arrow 71 Fig. 8 is a detail end ele ation and central section of the cylinder and base through line 0 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow I), also a section of the pistonvalve through line g, Fig. 5, looking in the direction of arrow 71.. Fig. 9 is a detail section of the piston-valve through line g of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of arrow 71. Fig. 10 is a detail section of the piston-valve through line 9 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of arrow 1'. Fig. 11 is a reduced side elevation of a modification of the base of the piston-valve cylinder to be used for yacht or marine engines, showing a valve-plug for reversin g or otherwise independently operating the engine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the construction shown in Fig. 11 with the piston-valve and reversing plugvalve removed, showing the arrangement of the several. parts. Fig. 13 is a detailfront elevation of the valve-plug or reversing-valve. Fig. 14 is a detail plan view of the reversing valve-plug, looking in the direction of arrowj of Fig. 18. Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view ofthe reversing plug-valve through line 7r of Fig. 14, looking in the direction of arrow m, showing also a diagram of the several ports connected with such valve, the position of said plug-valve being such that the steam communication between the piston or controlling valve and the engine-cylinder is shut off. Fig. 16 is a View similar to the one shown at Fig. 15, except that the position of the plug or reversing valve is changed so as to give a forward stroke to the engine. Fig. 17 is a similar view to Figs. 15 and 16, showing the plug-valve set for a back or reverse stroke of the engine. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the reversing-plug, looking in the direction of arrow at of Figs. 13 and 14. Fig. 'l 9 is an end elevation and reduced size of my improved valve mounted upon amarine or yacht engine, a sectional view of the frame of such engine being also shown. Fig. .20 is a vertical side elevation of the valve and engine shown in Fig. 1.9,looking in the direction of arrow 0. Fig. 21 is an end view of the mouth of the piston-valve cylinder and piston-valve therein and broken view of the valve-rod, looking in the direction of arrow 19 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 22 is a detail upper plan view of one of the valvecylinder heads and valve-rotating cams connected thereto, looking in the direction of arrow q of Fig.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

1, Fig. 1, is the valve-cylinder proper; 1, the base thereof, which is arranged to be seated on the engineeylinder 2, Fig. 2, and secured thereto by bolts 3 (two only being shown). 4 (see also Fig. 5) is the round valve-piston fitted to operate freely in said valve-cylinder, grooves 5 or similar means being provided for the necessary packing. Said piston is rigidly attached on the rod 6, whose projecting ends are supported in the stuffing-boxes of the cylinder-heads 1 1 The ball 6 on the end of thisrod enables the valve to be operated from without for the purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter.

The piston-valve 4. has the two central recesses or depressions '7 7" opposite each other, as shown more clearly at Figs. '7, 8, 9, and 10. The central portion. of the valve, between the dotted lines 8 8, Fig. 5, is solid, while the ends of such piston are recessed, as represented by dotted lines 9 9, down to such solid portion. I11 each of such end recesses of the valve and integral therewith is formed (see also Figs. 6 and 21) a double cam having the two faces 10, 10 and 10", the face opposite 10 not being shownexcept dottedas the cam in one end of the valve is an exact duplicate of the cam in the other end.

The side elevation of the piston-valve, shown at Fig. 5, is an exact duplicate of the opposite side, with the exception of the location of the side ports leading from. the recesses '7 '7 into the end recesses 9 9. The port 11 is bounded by the end wall 8, face of the cam 10, and the face 12 of the wing 13, while the port in the opposite recess 7 opens into the end recess 9 at the base of the face 1%, Fig. 9, of the Wing 15. These wings project either way from the central ribs 16, and 17, two of which, 15 and 18, are clearly shown projecting from'the rib 17 at Fig. 4, while the wing 19 balances the wing 13 on the rib 16, as seen at Fig. 7. The purpose of these wings will be hereinafter more fully explained.

On the inner face of the two cylinder-heads Fig. 3, are the double-face cams 20 and 21 (see also Fig. 22), whose faces 23 and 24 engage alternately with the end cain, before mentioned, of the valve 4, the hole 20 serving to operatively support the valve-rod 6. 26 and 27 are recesses formed in each end of the valve 4:, which operates as a prior partial relief to a complete exhaust.

The operation of the valve is as follows:'

port opens from the pipe connection 29 into the interior of the valve-cylinder. The dis tance between the face 30 of the wing 18 (see also Fig. 7) and the wall of the port 28 represents the lead of the valve. The steam passing therethrough (see arrows) and into the recess 7, thence through the port 11, Figs. 3 and 5, into the end recess 9 of the valve, and with the inside face of the cylinder-head l" as an abutment, the piston will be moved forward, the steam acting directly against the end wall 7 of the recess 7, the end 8 or the bottom of the recess 9, and the end 4, Fig. 5, of the piston. The engagement of the piston and cylinder-head cams will impart to such valve a rotary movement. \Vhen, therefore. the valve has moved forward sufficient to open the engine-cylinder port 31, the steam will enter such cylinder and actuate the piston in the usual manner. The engine-piston and valve 4: will then continue on their forward movement until said valve reaches the base of the short sharp incline 23 of the cylinder-head cam 20, where it will receive a temporary check, by reason of this incline, and it will remain stationary until the engine-piston in the large cylinder 2 has completed its forward strokegvhereupon, further expansion of steam in that direction being checked by the halting of this main piston, the accumulated force or pressure of the steam will react or exert a force on the valve 4 sufficient to force it up this short incline, and, turning the valve quickly, shut off the-steam-port 28 by means of the broad portion of the 'rib 16, as represented by the wings 13 and 19, covering such steam-port, and immediately opening communication between such port and the opposite recess 7 of the valve (see also Fig. 8) for the return stroke of said valve. )Vhile the valve 4 is moving up this short sharp incline of the cylinder-head cam, before mentioned, the relief-port, as represented by the before-mentioned recess 26, will open communication with the exhaust-port 32, and thereby give a partial exhaust (see also Fig. 6) before the exhaust-port 33 is opened, which opening willtake place when the valve has rotated into the position shown at Fig. 8, or at least such exhaust will have begun to open before the lead is shown at the face 14. of the wing 19 for the return stroke. The exhaustchamber 34 opens into the exhaust-outlet 255. as shown at Fig. 3.

From the foregoing the necessity will readily be seen for temporarily halting the valve 4 while the main engine-piston is still moving forward, for if this did not take place the valve would complete its stroke before the enginepiston and cause a reversion of such piston. When, therefore, the valve i meets the obstruction, as represented by the incline 23 it will also be still further obstructed by the steam which has not yet been fully exhausted forward of such valve, which, in combination with this incline, will serve to keep the valve in a stationary position until the full stroke of the engine-piston has been accomplished.

The relief-port, combined with the quick turn on the eylinder-head cam, will prevent that solid blow otherwise liable to occur at the terminus of the piston-valve stroke, with the liability, also, of knocking out the head of the cylinder of such valve.

hen the valve a has reached its extreme forward movement, it will have left the cylinder-head cam 20,0therwise it could not turn, by the process before mentioned, but when it has turned so as to take steam for the return stroke, the cylinder-port 36, preliminary orpartial exhaust-port 37, and recess 27 in the opposite end of piston 4. will perform the same functions, as before mentioned, for the forward stroke, it also being understood that on the return stroke the large recess 7 a in the side of the valve now takes the live steam, while the recess 7 in the opposite side takes the exhaust, which returns from the engine cylinder through port 31 into the end recess 9 of the piston-valve l, thence out through port 11 into the recess 7 and through port 33, and, as before stated, through the relief-port 32 as well. Thus the pistonwalve is made reversible without the aid of the customary and heretofore indispensable eccentric, or through the medium of a balance-wheel on the valve-rod 6 and the stored-up power therein.

The wings 13, 19, 15, and 18, which project laterally from their respective ribs 16 and 17, represent, as the case may be, thelap and the lead of the valve at, and are made wide or narrow so as to be properly proportioned to the size of the steam and exhaust ports of the valve cylinder and the pitch of the cams that rotate the piston-valve therein.

This valve is adapted to be applied to the cylinder of any kind of an engine, and, as before stated, requires no eccentric to operate it. If the engine is running in one direction and it is desired to reverse the engine so as to cause it to run permanently in the opposite direction, all that is required is simply to detach the piston-valve cylinder from the engine-cylinder and reverse its position thereon, when the engine will run backward or forward, as the case may be.

The engine can be stopped or temporarily reversed by means of the valve-rod 6, projecting from the piston-valve cylinder. This feature is particularly valuable in rock drilling, where the drill often becomes fastened so firmly in the rock as to necessitate removing the engine out of the way and prying and working at the drill in order to loosen it. With my improved piston-valve cylinder attached to an engine for such purposes all that would be required under similar circumstances would be simply to press the finger on the ball 6 and reverse the piston-valve, which operation will throw the live steam into the forward end of the engine-cylinder and reverse the engine, whereupon the return stroke of the engine will extract the drill attached to its piston-rod.

Another valuable feature in connection with the piston-valve above described is the reversible plug-valve used in connection with marine or yacht engines, as shown at Figs. 11 and 12, wherein the base 1 of the pistonvalve cylinder 1 is made deeper to provide the proper seat 38 for the plug 38, which plug is shown more clearly at Figs. 14 and 18, and also for the several ports in such base, presently to be more fully described, the piston-valve, its cylinder, and ports therein being the same as previously mentioned,with the exception that in this case (see Fig. 12) the steam-ports 31 and 36, instead of leading directly to the engine-cylinder (not shown), open into the valve-chamber 38 or valveseat for the reversible plug 38. The plug 3S has three transverse passages through the body thereofviz., 39, 4:0, and 41and a handle portion 42. The characters on the front face of the plug-viz., A, B, and S-in eonjunction with corresponding characters on the chest or base 1, will indicate the position of the passages in the plug with respect to the several steam-ports. For instance, A

stands for Go ahead, B for Back, and S for Shut. hen, therefore, the plug is turned to the left, as shown at Fig. 16, the

live steam will follow down the port 31, from the piston-valve cylinder 1, through the passage-way 10 of the valve-plug, and into the port 43, leading into the steam passage-way 4A, for the upper end of a vertical enginecylinder. (Not shown.) In the meantime the passage or port 39 of the valve-plug 38 will register with the ports 42* and 36, which then become the exhaust-ports to convey the exhaust-steam from the opposite or lower end of the engine-cylinder to the piston-valve cylinder 1, and to the exhaust 35, as previously mentioned in the description given for the operation of pistonwalve.

Turning the plug 38" to the right, as shown at Fig. 17, will reverse the process above de scribed, causing the live steam to pass down the port 31, through the passage-way or port 10 of the plug-valve 38 to the port 42*, and thence to the lower end of the engine-cylinder. The upper end of such engine-cylinder will then exhaust through port 43, passageway 39 of the plug-valve, and into the port 36, and finally through the exhaust-outlet 35, as before mentioned, which outlet is the exhaust, inall cases, both for the piston-valve and engine-cylinder.

Turning the plug 38 so that the central port 41 registers with ports 42 and 43, Fig. 15, will bring the webs or sides 3 t of such plug over the ports 31 and 36, closing the same so that no more steam is admitted to the engine-cylinder, so that the steam already in such cylinder will work back and forth under the momentum acquired by the piston until it ceases to move, or, if the shut-elf is only.

temporary, it will simply operate as a slowing down of the engine.

\Vhile the engine is thus being manipulated to run back or forth, or brought to a standstill, through the medium of the plugvalve 38, the piston-valve f the cylinder 1 will continue to operate and perform its functions irrespeetiveof the engine piston or pistons, so that the movements of the engine can be regulated entirely by such plug-valve. This feature is very important in boatengines, where sudden changes in the direction of the boat are of frequent occurrence, as it does away with the necessity of throttling, thus leaving the piston-valve 4L in full operation, and, if desirable, the rod 6 of such valve can be connected with the pump for supplying the boiler. If required, and in many cases it would no doubt be found desirable,to place two piston-valve cylinders, such as shown in Fig. 11, one on each side of a single upright-engine cylinder, so that if one of them from any cause Whatever should break down the other would be all connected and ready to operate, and thereby avoid dc lay, or if more steam should be wanted in the engine-cylinder, both piston-valves could be brought into operation.

I11 Figs. 19 and 20 will be seen the application of my improved piston-valve and cut-off,

I or reversible plug-valve, to a double-acting upper-face of their pistons 47' and 48, in

which case the ports 42 and will. both lead directly to the upper ends of such cylinders.- 44!) and 50 are drip-cocks to carry off the steam or water when the pistons have reached their extreme downward stroke. The exhaust is carried on in the same manner as explained in Fig. l]. The arrangement of the several ports in the base of the cylinder are such that they do not intersect with each other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.l. The combination in a cylinder having both inlet and outlet ports for the motive power of a piston adapted to have both a retary and a longitudinal reciprocating motion therein; cams having opposite inclined faces projecting within the cylinder and at opposite ends thereof; the piston having cams with double inclines in each end to alternately engage the cylinder-cams inlet and outlet ports in said piston; one of the inclined faces of each of the cylinder-cams having, near its highest point, a quick turn so as to throw the piston. over for its reverse or return stroke, as set forth.

2. The herein-described rotatable and reciprocating piston-valve, comprising in combination, a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports; cams having inclined faces in each end of said cylinder; a piston-valve, opposite recesses or depressions in the sides to admit the steam or other like motive power;

' means for effecting the lap, lead'and cut-off on said piston, substantially as shown: recesses in each end of the piston; double-face cams therein to engage with the cylindercams, whereby the rotary movement of the said piston is effected; one of said end recesses of the piston having an open communicati on with one of the side recesses therein and the other with the opposite side recess, which serve, alternately, as inlet and exhaust; an increased pitch provided in one face of each of the cylindencams, near their highest point thereof, whereby the piston-valve is thrown over for its return or reverse strokes. substantially as shown.

The herein-described rotatable and longitudinally-reciproeating piston-valve. governed in its movements entirely by theexpansive force of steam or other like motive power; end recesses therein; cams having double-incline faces in said recesses; recesses in opposite sides of said piston to alternately receive the live steam and exhaust; openings therefrom to the end recesses; laps, leads and cut-offs, as shown; piston-rod to which said piston is attached; relief-ports in opposite ends of such piston, combined with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, and a partial relief -port leading into the full exhaust, so that the said relief-ports in the ends of the piston may open into the relief-ports of the cylinder and furnish a preliminary or partial exhaust, before afull or complete exhaust; cylinder-head cams with which the IOC end cams of the piston alternately engage for I a rotary movement, and means on said cams whereby the piston is thrown over into position to take steam for its return stroke, as described and for the purpose set forth.

i. The combination with an engine-cylinder and its piston, and steam-ports of a piston-valve and its cylinder, having steamports in communication with the ports of the engine-cylinder, whereby live and exhaust steam are alternately carried through said ports to and from the piston-valve, said valve having both a rotating and a longitudinallyreciprocating movement; ports and recesses in such piston, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth; exhaust-ports for both the said piston and engine-cylinder. a

valve-stem to'which said valve is secured,

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 8th day 10 of June, A. D. 1895.

CHARLES A. WVHEELER.

Vitnesses:

WALTER R. Gnoss, LEWIS F. PELTON. 

